The government of the U.S. Virgin Islands is attempting to subpoena Elon Musk, seeking documents as part of the territory's lawsuit against JPMorgan Chase over sex trafficking acts committed by the bank's former client Jeffrey Epstein.
However, court documents claim the Virgin Islands is having trouble tracking Musk down to serve him the subpoena, which is based on conjecture that Epstein may have advised Musk on certain business matters.
Musk has never been publicly accused of any wrongdoing in relation to Epstein, who killed himself in his Manhattan jail cell in 2019 while awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges. But it appears the U.S. Virgin Islands believes Musk could be one of the “high net-worth individuals who Epstein may have referred or attempted to refer to JPMorgan" as a potential client.
Musk is just one of several prominent business figures lawyers have subpoenaed in the lawsuit.
Lawyers for the Virgin Islands told a judge they'd tried unsuccessfully to serve Musk with the subpoena and instead sought permission to serve his electric car company, Tesla. They're seeking any communications from 2002 to present day involving Musk, JPMorgan and Epstein, as well as documents regarding the late financier's "involvement in human trafficking."
Musk strongly denied ever having business dealings related to Epstein. He tweeted Monday night that the subpoena is "idiotic on so many levels," saying "that cretin never advised me on anything whatsoever. The notion that I would need or listen to financial advice from a dumb crook is absurd."
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The Virgin Islands, where Epstein owned property, accuses JPMorgan Chase of enabling his malicious activities and continuing to provide the financier with special services even after he was convicted in 2008 for soliciting a minor for prostitution — long before his other criminal revelations emerged.
JPMorgan has denied the government's claims in a separate pending lawsuit that seeks to hold the bank's former executive Jes Staley accountable. The suit claims he is responsible for hiding Epstein's yearslong sex abuse and trafficking and should be held liable for any financial penalties JPMorgan may face.
